SAW VI (2009)

After V, I, like most was left disheartened with the franchise, the twist wasn't very good and it asked so many more questions, so there was a lot riding on this sixth instalment, did IV & V writers Melton and Dunstan deliver? we shall see.

"SAW the sixth" starts a little differently, for the first time in the franchise, SAW DOES CURRENT AFFAIRS! that's right! in the opening "trap" we have two bankers (who irresponsibly gave loans to those who could never pay them back), have to quite literally give their "pound of flesh" in order to survive, I'm sure I wasn't the only one to get a kick out of that, the winner however doesn't seem fully "appreciative" of the life they got away with. the bulk of the film however, continues the escapades of SAW's partner in crime (again, I don't want to ruin it so I won't say who it is) and how they are dealing with increasing suspicion, also we inter-cut to a health insurance broker who has denied hundreds claims to health insurance (one of them being Jigsaw) and is seemingly out of touch with the value of human life, again a hot topic at the time of release (fall 2009). the film winds and winds, and manages, with it's finale, to encompass scenes way back when from III, and brings the current situation into light with a satisfying (though not brilliant) pay-off.

In the scheme of thing's. I would consider myself a fan of Kevin Greutert's first film in the franchise, it's two major flaws are that
1) I'm not convinced a thriller/horror franchise, 6 films in, is the best way to make a topical statement about the government and economics (though there was plenty of satisfaction to be had watching someone who preyed on the financially fragile having to hack off their own belly fat).
and 2) It had to clean up after V, that film was sort of a watery set up for this one, which it should never be, the first four did a good job of encompassing the previous instalments while being self contained (though it would help to see what came before).

Conclusion: VI, more so than the rest of the series has to be seen in context of the franchise, but a HUGE improvement on it's direct predecessor 6/10